


you drew stars around my scars

by preludes



Category: Stargirl (TV 2020)
Genre: Author Is Sleep Deprived, Autistic Character, Character Study, F/F, F/M, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Polyamory, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, author is both autistic and mentally ill, so yeah ✌️
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:02:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25757803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/preludes/pseuds/preludes
Summary: The thing about Beth is that she understands love.or: in which beth chapel is the glue that brings the team together.
Relationships: Beth Chapel/Yolanda Montez/Rick Tyler/Courtney Whitmore
Comments: 6
Kudos: 37





	you drew stars around my scars

**Author's Note:**

> title was from cardigan by taylor swift which i listened to as i wrote this

So—

Yolanda still believes in love. 

A small part of her does, at least. She believes that God loves her despite her wrongdoings, believes her parents love one another even if they cannot love her anymore, and she believes love can lead to ruin; Judas kissed Jesus before selling his life, Henry had kissed her before she gave her speech. Three days later and she was not risen, still in her tomb with no angels to sing of her resurrection.

And no, the New Girl — Courtney — isn’t an angel even if she does say the first kind words Yolanda has heard in what feels like years. Blonde ringlets and sunlit eyes, a kind of determination that Yolanda can recognise. Courtney has to stand on her tip-toes to look Yolanda in the eyes and it would be endearing if Yolanda were still naive. Yolanda is just trying to survive her final few years of high school before getting into some college in New York and getting as far away from Blue Valley as possible. Courtney isn’t part of the plan. But the thing about Courtney is that she doesn’t give up and Yolanda has to admire that, though it does tend to lead her into dangerous situations. 

Courtney is a superhero and her teammate but Yolanda also knows that Courtney is also a pretty teenage girl who can pull of shorts and a tank top in Nebraskan winters with a smile. Courtney is as electrifying as her staff is bright and she is unlike anyone Yolanda has ever known. 

Yolanda likes the freedom that comes with being Wildcat. Anonymity almost feels strange to her, but it is nice. Yolanda had done everything possible to forget who she was; changing her hair, her clothes, her interactions with everyone became stiff and uncomfortable. Courtney hadn’t cared, though, about any of it. Courtney had liked her regardless.

Henry’s dead. Henry had egged on the people who tormented her for photos he shared. Henry’s dead. Henry told her was sorry and now he’s not even around for her to forgive properly. She almost wishes she had killed him that night at the hospital, it would’ve spared him the knowledge of being killed by his father, would’ve spared her teammates from watching another child die—

“You know that I know when you’re lying, right?” Beth whispers beside her. Beth’s just come back from patrol with Courtney, came back in with their hands intertwined. She hasn’t got the goggles on, the lamp beside Yolanda is suddenly far too bright. 

“I forgot.” Yolanda mumbles. “I just...”

“You don’t have to talk about him,” Beth reminds her. “You just...you don’t have to lie to me. I don’t care whatever you say, I still care about you.”

“You don’t have anyone to compare me to,” Yolanda mutters and it’s harsh but Beth doesn’t seem to get that its a semi insult.

Beth shrugs. “Well, of course not! But you’re the best people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing so far, and I’m just happy to be here.”

“You deserve to be here,” Yolanda says. She sits up, brushes the hair out of her face. She hasn’t taken her hair down since Henry died. It’s getting knotted. 

“And so do you,” Beth says. “You’ve got me and Courtney and Rick for life now, I think. Goodnight, Yolanda.” 

Beth presses a kiss to Yolanda’s cheek and smiles before leaving the bedroom door open. Yolanda could cry. How did she get so lucky? 

Yolanda says a short prayer before going to bed, begging God that not to touch any of them. 

-:- 

The thing about Beth is that she understands love. 

She knows what friendship is, too. Courtney Whitmore is her friend and tiny and has lovely hair and she picked her out of thousands to be a superhero. People assume she doesn’t know anything about relationships because of how she talks or whatever, but people assume a lot of stupid things when you get the diagnosis of autism. So yeah, she does get it. Chuck gets it, too. Dr Mid-nite was also autistic, not that the media made this known. Chuck gets a lot of stuff about her. He’s been giving her tips on stimming, showing her relaxing videos of people painting, stuff like that. 

_I’m sure my predecessor would’ve been proud to know you,_ Chuck says completely earnestly. _But for what it’s worth, I am too._

“Thanks Chuck,” Beth says. The house used to be so quiet and lonely but now Chuck is around it’s better. Not great, but more tolerable. 

Rick hasn’t come over yet. She knows her parents wouldn’t mind; Beth spent the majority of her life a friendless nobody, they’re just glad she has friends now and don’t seem to care what gender they are. Courtney says her house was super pretty and Yolanda had said similar so she can’t understand why he won’t.

“You’re coming over tonight,” She informs Rick as he bites into an apple. She can tell it’s the only thing he’s eaten all day and that makes her worry. “I’m making you steak. And if your uncle has anything to say about it, Chuck’ll hack his emails or something, and send them to the FBI.” 

Rick coughs. “Uh. Okay. Sure?”

Rick keeps to his promise, even walks home with her. Beth practically skips the whole way and Rick hasn’t sworn once the whole time they’ve been alone together which is weird because he swears a lot, not that she minds particularly it’s just his nature. It’s just weird. And she notices. 

Rick opens her front door with such ease before Beth remembers that he has...like...actual super strength. Wild. 

“I like your um...fur carpet is really...chic? Cool?”

“Thanks!” Beth says excitedly. 

When Rick offers to help clean the dishes, Beth kisses him on the mouth. 

“I—oh what did I just do—“

Before she can finish her latent panic attack, Rick kisses her again. 

Beth hopes this isn’t a one time thing; Rick knows, and leaves his favourite jacket on the dining room table to show that it isn’t. 

-:- 

Beth leaves her goggles in her backpack. She wants to do this properly.

“So the thing is, I like all of you and I think we should just...date each other? Chuck’s found loads of articles about this and it really works and I don’t wanna loose any of you and I—“ 

Courtney’s face breaks into a grin. “Of course!”

“Oh-really? Just like that?”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

“I can’t tell.”

“Well I’m not!” 

Courtney puts her hand in front of her. “Is...um...everyone else in? Hands in?”

Rick and Yolanda press their hands in without hesitation. 

And Beth giggles. Puts her hand in. It’s warm and soft and right. 

“You’re adorable,” The three of them remark in unison, which makes them all laugh. 

Sometimes, your superhero team is your family. Sometimes, your superhero team all love one another in a way no one else can understand. Sometimes, your superhero team is a bunch of traumatised teenagers with powers they don’t quite get who hold onto each other in a dark garage at midnight. 

It’s enough. It’s justice. It has to be.

**Author's Note:**

> i binged this show in 2 days so....welcome to 2am word vomit ville, population: me. sorry if u read this far tbh u deserve a medal idek why courtney wasn’t as in this as much I Tried it’s 3am i have work in 5 hours what am i doing

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] you drew stars around my scars](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26737885) by [MistbornHero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistbornHero/pseuds/MistbornHero)




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